Lost Penny Fire Cart Grenache 2021

Nick and Carol Riebke are extremely proud and excited to join together as a family to produce their very own premium Barossa wines. All from the same family blocks in Ebenezer, Barossa Valley, that their family has worked since the late 1800s. But, the story of Lost Penny Wines has deep roots.

It began five generations ago, after their ancestors came to the Barossa to escape religious persecution in Germany. They brought with them Shiraz cuttings on the ship, with the hope of beginning a new life. For Nick and Carol their combined knowledge, passion, family heritage and dedication to preserving Barossa winemaking traditions have all been poured into Lost Penny Wines.

Historically, a standard part of the vineyard management was to burn the winter vine cuttings in a fire cart. A horse would pull the cart between the vineyard rows, and cuttings were thrown into the continuously burning cart. The Grenache vines are some of the oldest plantings on our family estate, so this special Grenache pays homage to this time-honored vineyard practice.

The 2021 vintage started out with the growing season being dry and it continued that way, with below average rainfall for all of the months. Budburst and early vine growth were delayed in September with below average minimum temperatures, but then caught up during October and November with warmer than average days. January and December resulted in above average maximum temperatures. With February closer to average maximums and below average minimums, making it made for the ideal timing, and resulted in the perfect conditions for ripening the smaller crops. By the end of the second week in April we had finished harvest, which was one of the earliest on record.

Colour: Tile red with purple hue.
Nose: Cherries, spicy and touches of liquorice.
Palate: A mediums structure with mouth-filling cherry and plum flavours. Sweet spice finish to fill and complex. Matured in seasoned French oak barrel for 18 months.

The Fire Cart Grenache is a light to medium-bodied wine with dominant fruit character and no harsh edges. The smooth cherry ripe flavours along with the spice makes this wine very enjoyable to cuddle up to around a fireplace.